The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Week 12: The Image of Christ — Conformation and Cruciformity
Read the concluding chapters of The Cost of Discipleship (on the image of Christ and the conclusion). Key passages: Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 3:10-11
Previewing Week 12 of The Cost of Discipleship
Read 3 of 8 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 13-week guide when you’re ready.
Bonhoeffer's final vision is not grim but glorious — discipleship is the process by which we are restored to the image of God, crucified and risen in Christ — read these chapters as a gift, not a burden.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Bonhoeffer argues that human beings were created in the image of God and that this image was shattered in the fall. The entire work of salvation — and of discipleship — is its restoration. How does framing discipleship as image-restoration change its emotional register? Does it feel more like recovery or more like achievement?
2.He argues that Christ is not only the model we imitate but the one into whose image we are being transformed by the Spirit. This is different from moral effort — it is a participation in Christ's own death and resurrection. How do you experience this transformation? Is it happening in your life — slowly, resistantly, unevenly?
3.Bonhoeffer describes the crucified Christ as the one who reveals what the image of God actually looks like — not power and self-sufficiency but self-giving love. This is a radical claim. Does it change the way you think about what it means to be fully human?